Fences are an integral part of the livestock industry. Good husbandry requires that cattle be contained with some type of fencing, not only for their own safety and well being but also out of respect for the property rights and saftey of others.
Almost all livestock fencing systems have gates of some type to allow vehicles to pass from one side of the fence to the other when open, and then when closed, prevent the contained livestock (mainly cattle) from leaving the containment area. For years, gates have been made out of barbed wire, boards or steel. In recent times, gates have often been replaced by devices known in the industry as "cattle guards". These cattle guards consist of a flat grate made from heavy steel pipe or beams welded to cross members at approximately six inch spacings, spanning the width of the road and positioned over a deep narrow trench. A vehicle can then pass over the cattle guard's grate but cattle will usually not attempt to because they perceive the cattle guard as a regular part of the fence.
However, there are serious problems associated with both conventional gates and cattle guards.
FIRST: If they are located in high use areas they will require high maintenance.
SECOND: They are difficult to construct and install.
THIRD: They are expensive, especially cattle guards which usually cost upwards of $1,000 dollars and generally require at least two days to install.
FORTH: They are a potential source of injury both to personnel and to livestock, as anyone acquainted with barbed wire knows. Furthermore, cattle occasionally attempt to cross a cattle guard, and when they do, they usually get their legs caught between the steel beams. This results in severe trauma and injury to the animal which may be extensive enough to require euthanasia.
FIFTH: Gates are a "hassle" to deal with. One of the most aggravating, annoying and time consuming tasks for a livestock producer is having to open and close gates. Which consists of driving up to the gate, stopping your vehicle, getting out, walking through the mud to the gate, opening the gate, walking back to your vehicle, clean the mud off your feet, get back in your vehicle, drive through the gate, stop your vehicle, get back out, walk back through the mud to the gate, shut the gate, walk back to your vehicle, clean your feet and then get back in your vehicle and drive on. This invention addresses all of these problems and provides a simple and relatively inexpensive alternative to both gates and cattle guards. It costs about one-fifth of the price of a cattle guard and can be installed and fully functional in about five minutes.